A girl born to a St Albans family was one of 11 babies delivered at Watford General Hospital on New Year’s Day.

Keira Mcnairn, weighing in at 3116g, was born at 1.07pm on Tuesday, January 1 to Chloe Gullin and Scott Mcnairn from St Albans.

“We’re over-the-moon to have a daughter”, said Chloe, who has had two boys before.

Chloe went into hospital expecting to come out with a Kieran and only found out it was a girl when she gave birth.

“When I pushed her out I said ‘it’s supposed to be a boy!’, but I was happy.”

“It did come as a bit of a shock as we had bought everything in blue.”

Chloe described this birth as being more difficult than her others and she did not take pain relief.

There was a flurry of activity, with doctors and nurses flooding into the room, after the baby’s heartbeat dropped and Chloe was going to have a C-section.

However the problem was rectified and since the birth, Chloe has had to rush around exchanging the blue baby items for pink ones and is looking to give her sister, who had a boy three months ago, a baby boy blanket she had bought.

Delivery ward matron Justine Chung said: “Congratulations to the 11 families who have had an extra special start to 2019 and many thanks to our staff who helped bring them into the world this New Year’s Day.

“It was business as usual for our team as, on average, we deliver 12 babies a day at Watford General, our main maternity hospital.

“We also provide other services from Hemel Hempstead and St Albans hospitals.”

The first baby to arrive at Watford General Hospital on New Year’s Day was born at 1.04 to Alec and Laura Hinshelwood from Hemel Hempstead.

According to West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust, which runs Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead hospitals, 4,941 babies were born at the maternity ward at Watford in 2017.

To find out more, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/maternity